Prospect Talent Score

Probability of Success

History

2009-10: Scott Laughton was the captain for the Toronto Marlboros Midget AAA team in the Greater Toronto Hockey League and skated in two games for the St. Michael’s Buzzers Tier II junior team. Laughton scored 55 goals with 40 assists and 109 penalty minutes in 76 games for the Marlboros. He was selected by the Oshawa Generals in the first round (3rd overall) of the OHL Priority Draft.

2010-11: Laughton skated in 63 games for Oshawa in his first OHL season and represented Ontario in the 2011 U17 World Hockey Challenge. Laughton scored 12 goals with 11 assists and was plus-5 with 58 penalty minutes on an Oshawa team that finished second in its division. The Generals reached the second round of the playoffs and in 10 playoff games Laughton scored 1 goal with 1 assist and was minus-2 with 11 penalty minutes. In five games at the WHC, he scored 2 goals with 2 assists and had 4 penalty minutes as Ontario captured the gold medal.

2011-12: Laughton had a strong second season in an otherwise disappointing season for the Generals and finished the year with an impressive performance for Team Canada at the 2012 U18 World Junior Championship. Laughton scored 21 goals with 32 assists and was plus-8 with 101 penalty minutes in 64 games for Oshawa. In the playoffs Laughton scored 2 goals with 3 assists and was minus-5 with 17 penalty minutes. The Generals lost to Niagara in a six-game, first-round playoff series. In seven games for bronze medal-winning Canada at the WJC, Laughton scored 2 goals with 5 assists and was plus-3 with 4 penalty minutes. One of the risers in Central Scouting’s rankings, Laughton moved up twelve places from the mid-season list and was ranked 28th amongst North American skaters in the final rankings prior to the 2012 NHL Draft.

2012-13: Laughton made his NHL debut as an 18-year-old — skating in five games with the Flyers before returning to the OHL’s Oshawa Generals — and finished the year with Philadelphia’s AHL affiliate in Adirondack. He had no points nor penalty minutes and had an even plus/minus, averaging 11:31 minutes of ice time during his time with the Flyers. In six AHL games he scored his first professional goal and was +2 with 2 assists. Adirondack missed the playoffs after finishing last in the Northeast Division. Laughton was the second-leading scorer for Oshawa in his third OHL season. He scored 23 goals with 33 assists in 49 games and was +22 with 72 penalty minutes. The Generals finished second in the East Division and reached the second round in the playoffs. Laughton scored 7 goals with 6 assists in seven playoff games and was +8 with 11 penalty minutes.

2013-14: Laughton returned to Oshawa following Flyers’ training camp and skated for the Canada U20 team at the 2014 World Juniors. Laughton was the second-leading scorer for the Generals behind 17-year-old Michael Dal Colle (NYI) as Oshawa finished first in the OHL’s East Division and reached the Eastern Conference finals. Laughton scored 40 goals with 47 assists and was plus-12 with 72 penalty minutes. He scored 13 goals on the power play. In nine playoff games he scored 4 goals with 7 assists and was plus-2 with 17 penalty minutes. Laughton had 1 assist and was plus-2 with 6 penalty minutes in seven games at the WJC. Canada finished fourth; falling 2-1 to Russia in the bronze medal game.

Talent Analysis

Laughton is two-way center whose primary skills are on the defensive side of the ledger. He is a hard-worker with a consistent approach to the game and plenty of smarts. Laughton is not a highly skilled player, but he’s proved he can hold his own as a bottom-line center in the NHL, although there’s still room for improvement.

Future

Scott Laughton entered his first professional season in 2014-15. While he wasn’t expected to score, the forward put up 27 points over 39 games. With the Flyers, he played in 31 games and netted six points (two goals, four assists). Laughton began the 2015-16 season with the Flyers and looks like he is there to stay.